A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission utility stand for supporting, transporting and maneuvering an automotive transmission during the performance of maintenance or repair thereon.
B. Description of the Prior Art
In the overhaul, maintenance, rebuild and most repair of manual and automatic transmissions for rear wheel drive automotive vehicles, the transmission is removed from the vehicle. It is then transported to a support stand or bench where the necessary work or maintenance is performed. In some cases the transmission is transported to the support stand or work bench by a heavy duty crane or jack which must be able to lift the transmission as much as waist-high or higher. The transmission is preferably transported to a work bench when it is to be completely disassembled. At one point during disassembly and reassembly, the transmission is preferably held on the stand in the vertical position for removal and installation of the output shaft, gears and clutch assemblies, pump, and etc. Even further, when some transmissions are worked on in the vertical position, in addition to the support for the transmission case, a separate attachment must be used to retain the output shaft in place.
It is desired that these operations be done with ease and with little risk of causing damage to the transmission or to personnel handling it. As stated above, heavy jacks, cranes and special and expensive equipment were necessary to handle the transmissions with safety and utility. However, for many small transmission repair shops and individuals who repair their own transmissions, it is impractical to acquire such equipment. Even in larger shops it can be cumbersome and inconvenient to use such heavy equipment. Various transmission supports which are designed to handle some of these problems have been used by the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,942 to Ward discloses a transmission repair support assembly comprising a first and a second portion that may be separated and teaches attaching one portion to the transmission and with the use of a crane lift the transmission to be mounted on the other portion whereon the transmission can be transported to various locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,877 to Rogos discloses a transmission fixture comprising a rigid elongated framework having a traverse mounting member at one end for attachment to the bell housing of the transmission, a belt to wrap around the opposite end to pull the transmission toward the framework and a central extendible support member to engage the center of the transmission case to the framework.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,151 to Grundy discloses a transmission mounting stand comprising a rigid and open frame, a yoke supported thereon adjacent its front end and across the frame, a pair of side bar structures attachable to the wider end portion of the transmission case, an upwardly extending support crossbar having a support platform and which supports the narrow end of the yoke, wherein the structure is mounted in several different orientations for different orientations of the transmission case.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,099 to Knittel discloses a combination jack and work stand comprising a base, a vertically adjustable standard, and a cradle which is tiltable to any suitable angle and which is rotatable about a vertical axis so that a transmission supported thereon can be raised and lowered, tilted or rotated 180 degrees.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,127 to Hawkins discloses a stand especially useful as an automotive engine stand having a wheel with a locking mechanism and having a vertically strapped post inclined rearwardly from its point of attachment between outwardly tapering sections which form a longitudinal base portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,306 to Wheeler discloses a fixture for mounting an article to be worked on and includes a base having an end member together with an arm pivotally mounted on the end member and having means for securing the arm in various pivoted positions and said arm having screw members located for selective engagement with the article.
These stands are inadequate either because (1) they are big and bulky, (2) require heavy cranes for lifting the transmission, (3) does not lend to transporting the transmission upon a work bench, (4) does not have a built-in provision to retain the output shaft in place, (5) does not have a provision to adjust the center of gravity, or (6) is to complex and expensive.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a stand where its mounting bracket can be placed on the transmission before it is removed from the car. Further, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for adjusting the center of gravity of the stand for various transmissions mounted thereon. Further it is an object of this invention to provide a built-in, adjustable means for retaining the output shaft in place when necessary. Further, it is an object of this invention to provide a stand that will aid in lifting the transmission upon a work bench. Even further it is an object of this invention to provide a stand which holds the transmission in a vertical position for disassembly and assembly.